Sydney, Australia 2019 Day 11

Our plan today was to see where Sydney’s sandstone was quarried. We took the train to Town Hall Station and made our way through Darling Harbour to the Pyrmont waterfront which is on the east side of Darling Harbour. On our way, we saw a metal art installation of a shark fin. A replica ship was moored in the background. Barangaroo was across the harbour and strikingly present. A fish cleaning station was a nice touch with a disposal hole going back to the water. We followed the shoreline and then took the stairs to Paradise and Purgatory, the location of two of the old quarries. Once the quarries were exhausted, they built apartments on the barren low land. It is a fascinating place once you understand why and how it was created. The beautiful sandstone buildings of Sydney came from here. Following are links to information about the Paradise and Purgatory quarries:

http://www.visitsydneyaustralia.com.au/lost-quarries2.html

http://www.visitsydneyaustralia.com.au/lost-quarries5.html

We carried on from there to Glebe Point Road and had lunch at the same place we had lunch 9 years ago. We stopped at the bottle shop in the pub across the street and bought a bottle of wine to go with our lunch. They supplied us with wine glasses with no corkage fee. I love the relaxed liquor laws in Sydney where you can sit outside of a hole in the wall eatery with a bottle of wine and watch life go by. 

We carried on along Glebe Point Road and took a picture of a set of row houses on a side street with the city in the background and then some iconic colourful row houses on Glebe Point Road. We ended up in Ultimo where we bought 12 pork and cabbage dumplings for dinner. Ten years ago they cost $7, today $11.95. Somethings are much more expensive in Australia, like beer, which is heavily taxed if you buy it by the bottle or can or six pack. Beer in pubs is expensive. Wine on the other hand is generally 25% less than what we pay at home when bought by the bottle and cheaper if you buy three. Beef and lamb is cheaper. Produce is higher. Cell phone costs are a fraction of what we pay. McDonalds (Mackers as they call it here) is more expensive with a Big Mac costing $10.50. Pizza is also more expensive, as is eating in restaurants. 

We bought some Chinese greens as we made our way to the Town Hall Station. We had been walking for five hours and were beat by the time we got home. We will sleep well tonight.